A short sharp walk to Gummer's How

Gummer's How is situated at the southern end of Windermere near the National Trust owned Fell Foot Park, on the opposite side to Lakeside. Although you can walk from the shore of the lake there is a lot more climbing to do. This walk starts from the Gummer's How picnic area which takes a lot of the 'sting' out of it.

The distance from the picnic area to the summit is short and, although steps lead much of the way to the trig point, the path gets strewn with mud from the cattle. Brought in to help manage the diversity of flora they roam freely but can make a bit of a mess. They are nice to see and seem a content bunch of cross breeds called Luing - from the Highland and the Short Horn, according to the information board.

Our walk starts at the Gummer's How picnic area which is signposted off the A592 just over 1.0km (0.6 miles) up on the right hand side of the steep and narrow road.

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Walk height profilenote that gradients are usually grossly exaggerated

Route Description

1

Head up through the car park away from the road for a few metres and bear left by the small signpost, follow the path through the woodland keeping left so as to return to the road about 100m (110 yards) above the car park.

Go through the gate to the road, cross, and go through the gate opposite. From beside the information board follow the well used path as it bears slightly right under the trees, and climb the stone pitched steps that soon appear.

At the top of the steps bear left and clamber up the heather and rocky step. It does not require any technical climbing abilities. At the top bear right along the summit area of Gummer's How to the prominent trig point.

Gummers How information board

Looking across Windermere to Lakeside

Rocky step onto the summit of Gummers How

Gummers How trig point

2

To return you can simply retrace your steps. The rocky step can be a little more difficult in descent so we wandered round the top of the fell a little and took one of the many minor paths off.

You can do the same as us: from the trig point bear left northwards a little, until either a path bearing right appears, or if you prefer continue northwards for approximately 100m (110 yards) to a small knoll. There's another good view of Windermere. Bear right on one of the many minor paths, and then right again to traverse under the summit to pick up the path used on the ascent. Reaching it turn left to the road, and then to the car park.

Misty Windermere from Gummer's How

A walk by Elizabeth Oldham

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